From the "energy silence" to the clean energy party

by Eleonora Anello

On Friday, February 12th will be the day of “M'illumino di meno” (I will use less light) the Italian energy consumption awareness campaign, launched by Caterpillar’s deejay, the radio programme on air on Radio 2, Massimo Cirri and Filippo Solibello, members of the Scientific Committee of AICA (International Association for Environmental Communication). Now in its sixth edition, the simultaneous shutdown of the lights, the Italian version of the Earth Hour, has become an annual event that does not miss it and that fascinates families, institutions, enterprises and associations.

The 2010 campaign has big news. That began on January 4th and this year will not be enough to turn off the light. In fact, according to organizers, the Italians have now learned to save energy or at least to reduce waste in their consumption. Gained this sensitivity, the participants are now asking something more and, at the contrary to what the title of the initiative may suggest, all are invited to turn on the lights! Lights, however, that are fed with new energies, clean and renewable.
Will this change in strategy to involve people equally? Will succeed the campaign, its name, its popularity, and its excellent results, in changing habits and to convert to new and less tainted sources? And, mostly, is it easy to produce and use clean energy in Italy?

Certainly the occasion will be the right way to turn the spotlight on who has long committed to producing clean energy. And, the purpose of the torch photovoltaic of M'illumino di meno, is this: across the nation to bear witness and to give light and visibility to the initiatives of those who already uses renewable energy. The operation, titled "The torch on Rome" aims to raise awareness about the consequences of indiscriminate consumption and to prepare the ground, to the principal event on February 12th, when the torch is expected to Rome for a choreography of clean light at the Mercati Traianei and a concert that will close to zero impact the campaign.

Meanwhile, the initiatives are multiplying throughout the country. Fun and folklore are insured. Associations, institutions but also individual citizens are organizing all sorts of events: panel discussions, meetings with the schools, restaurants, swimming pools and gyms candlelight. The Banda Osiris is the author of the hymn that is taught in some schools of children by “lit teachers”. And, also for the children, the designer of Gormiti, Gianfranco Enrietto, were born the “Illuminati”, the team of superheroes that represent renewable energy and fighting against the “NemikoFossile”.

The message is multiplying exponentially due largely to webcarter, the listeners of Caterpillar that are active in the network, particularly on blogs and social networks. On Facebook fanpage event there are currently about 20,800 fans set to grow. Will the webcarter be able to turn off their computer?